2020 2nd Annual AAFCA TV Honors Held Aug. 22

By Darlene Donloe

The 2020 2nd Annual AAFCA TV Honors, celebrating the best in television and streaming, was presented virtually for the first time, Saturday, Aug. 22, due to the coronavirus, which has forced everyone to social distance.

This year the show, hosted by Aida Rodriguez, honored excellence in television and streaming, and for the first time, included frontline and essential workers, civic and other leaders to join, alongside celebrities, as presenters.

 

Oscar® winner and AAFCA winner Matthew A. Cherry (Hair Love) and Georgia Congressman Hank Johnson kicked off the show by presenting the Best Animated Series award to ‘Central Park’ (AppleTV+). The award was accepted by actors Josh Gad and Leslie Odom Jr.

 

Niles Fitch (This Is Us) and Disney’s first live-action Black prince on Disney+’s (Secret Society of Second Born Royals) and nurse Cherelle Barksdale in the University of Michigan Hospital, presented the Best YA (Young Adult) Series to the Netflix show, ‘Never Have I Ever.’

 

Derek Luke and Dr. Christopher Emdin presented Best Short Form Programming,  to Lebron James’ ‘I Promise’ (Quibi) accepted by Jamal Henderson.

 

AAFCA ADCOLOR Breakout Creative Award, presented by Indya Moore, Angelica Ross, and Mj Rodriguez of ‘Pose,’ went to writer, activist, and director Janet Mock.

 

“Telling our stories is a revolutionary act,” said Mock.  “I create for the girl I once was. Hope my work can be a mirror for her.”

 

Nicco Annan and Brandee Evans of ‘P-Valley’, along with Chicago Fire Department Lt. Quentin Curtis, presented the Best Docuseries to HBO’s “Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children.”

 

The award was accepted by a team that included John Legend.

 

“We wanted to tell stories that were overlooked and wanted to do it with high-quality content,” said Legend.

 

The Best TV Movie winner was Lifetime’s ‘The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel.’ It was presented by Simone Missick (All Rise), Dr. Jamal H. Bryant, and actor William Jackson Harper, and was accepted by Christine Swanson, Donald Lawrence, and Holly Carter.

 

“This is the Lord’s doing and it’s marvelous in my sight,” said Holly Carter.

 

The Breakout Performer Award was presented by ET’s Kevin Frazier and Chief Tanya Rivers and was awarded to Laura Harrier and Jeremy Pope in Netflix’s “Hollywood.”

 

Sheryl Lee Ralph and Dr. Ala Stanford presented the Best Performance Male award to Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us) for the second year in a row.

 

“It means so much to be validated by your people,” said Brown. “In representing myself I hope I do you proud. I do not take this honor lightly. I am forever in your gratitude.”

 

Tichina Arnold and Los Angeles Deputy Chief Regina A. Scott, the first black woman to obtain that rank, presented the Best Comedy Series award to HBO’s “Insecure.”

 

The Best Drama award was presented by ‘Queen Sugar’ actors Tina Lifford and Omar Dorsey, along with restaurant owner Greg Tillery, to the ABC series ‘For Life.’

 

AAFCA President and Co-Founder Gil Robertson and NBC4 reporter Beverly White presented the Inclusion Award to Macro Television Studios for Netflix’s “Raising Dion,” “Gentefied” and “Tigertail.”

 

“These two shows and film, Black, LatinX, and Asian are just a taste of their mission to provide a home to diverse and inclusive stories and characters that reflect our nation’s rich racial tapestry,” said Robertson.

 

The award was accepted by Marta Fernandez, president of Macro Television Studios.

 

“Here at Macro Television Studios we are proud to amplify the voices of perspectives of artists of color,” said Fernandez.

 

Mayor Steven Reed, the first Black mayor of Montgomery, Alabama, and Oscar winner Octavia Spencer presented the Best Performance Female award to Viola Davis for  ABC’s ‘How To Get Away With Murder.’

 

Rashida Jones presented the TV Icon Award to Kenya Barris (Black-ish, Grown-ish, Mixed-ish, and #Black AF).

 

“How old do these people think I am,” asked Barris during his acceptance speech. “They have a different meaning of icon then I do. You’ve taken a kid from Inglewood and transformed him into something else,” said Barris.